


Trick Or Treat

by chibi_nightowl



Category: Batman: Arkham - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Gen, Halloween Costumes, Trick or Treating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-07 04:28:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16401320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibi_nightowl/pseuds/chibi_nightowl
Summary: Jason still isn't entirely sure how he became the responsible adult keeping an eye on a bunch of villain-themed kids out to collect candy on Halloween night. Kids who seem to have no qualms whatsoever about following the former Arkham Knight around on his patrol route. A route that has been significantly modified to accommodate the shorter legs of his new army.Oh, how the mighty have fallen.





	Trick Or Treat

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this](http://m-alejandrita.tumblr.com/post/179127259950/happy-halloween) amusing art from m-alejandrita on Tumblr.

Jason glances over his shoulder yet again, still not entirely sure how he became the responsible adult keeping an eye on a bunch of villain-themed kids out to collect candy on Halloween night. Kids who seem to have no qualms whatsoever about following the former Arkham Knight around on his patrol route. A route that has been significantly modified to accommodate the shorter legs of his new army. 

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. 

“Alright, Deathstroke, I think you’ve poked Scarecrow in the ass with your nerf gun enough,” he admonishes without even turning around after hearing yet another squawk of indignation from one of the kids. “Don’t make me confiscate that; it takes away from your aesthetic.” 

Therapy, his ass. 

In his ear, Babs chuckles. She’s been there ever since he thought calling her to whine was a good idea. “You know, Jay, you’d be a really good dad.” 

“Someone must have spiked your hot chocolate with some really serious shit if you think that’s a good idea.” Jason stops in front of a brownstone that’s actually the front for a brothel. The madame tries her best to keep her girls off the streets and adores him after that time he fixed a busted pipe in the basement. “Okay, brats. Go knock.” 

The kids scramble past him and eagerly run up the stairs to claim their treats. Jason isn’t letting them hit up every house, but enough so that they’ve got quite the haul already. 

“Yup, definitely a dad.” Babs laughs some more.   

“This is just a one-time thing.” Jason waves and drops a specific hand sign to the big bouncer who answers the door. He looks slightly overwhelmed by the demands for candy from the troupe of mini villains. 

Who can blame him? Most people who opened their doors to find the Scarecrow, Deathstroke, a member of the former Arkham Militia, a girl who’s painted herself green to emulate Poison Ivy, and another little kid of a yet to be determined gender in a wheelchair dressed as the infamous Arkham Knight himself, would find themselves blinking twice and going for the shotgun. That kid’s been making a killing tonight, especially since the one in militia gear has taken it upon himself to collect for them. 

“Don’t forget to say _thank you_ ,” Jason reminds them after the candy has been secured. 

_“Thank you!”_ a chorus of young voices chimes out. 

Time for the next house. And the next. And the next. 

“You know, at some point you need to get these guys all home safely,” Babs reminds him. 

“If they’re wandering the streets on Halloween without someone to keep an eye on them, then they don’t have homes that deserve going back to.” Jason shepherds the kids across the street and they make their way back up the other side. 

“Have you asked?” 

“No…” It is getting late though so when they reach the next corner, Jason holds up a hand. Under his helmet, he frowns. Somewhere along the way, another kid has joined them, one in an ill-fitting Robin costume that breaks with the villain theme. The end of the long cape is bunched in their hands and being used as a makeshift sack for candy. 

Whatever, a costume is a costume. “Alright kiddos, you’ve had your fun and I have work to do. I’ll drop you all off wherever you need to go.” 

Groans meet his ears, groans not unlike the ones he used to make as Robin when Batman told him it was time to go home. He prods them some more and stories start to emerge. 

Little Deathstroke has no idea where he is but knows his address, which isn’t far. Poison Ivy and Scarecrow actually live in the same building and went out together thinking they could trick-or-treat on their own but got scared and joined the group when they saw them passing by. The militia kid got dumped by his older brother who decided to go to a party instead (Jason makes a mental note to crash said party and scare the shit out of the guy). And the little Arkham Knight originally started their night as part of a different group but got left behind after the wheel on their chair locked up and took too long to fix.

“What about you?” Jason asks the little Robin. “Where do you need to go?” 

“Umm… Gotham Towers?” the young voice trips out from under his black hood. 

Jason raises an eyebrow. That’s across town and in a decent part of this shithole of a city. How did this kid get all the way to the Narrows? He doesn’t question it, not yet. 

Babs picks up on the oddity too. “I’m checking the police scanners now,” she says. 

“Right,” he says, both to her and Robin. “Okay, time to get moving.” 

Once most of his army disbands and are back in the relative safety of their homes, Jason is left with the oddball Robin. Now that he has a chance to really look at him, the costume he’s wearing stands out more. It’s of good quality, but woefully too big and heavy for such a small boy. He’s panting quietly as he stands next to Jason, waiting patiently for his turn to be taken home. 

“Anything?” Jason asks Babs. 

“Not a word about a missing boy in a Robin costume.” 

Dammit. Jason sighs and kneels in front of the kid. He couldn’t put an age to the kid if he tried, but the height seems about right for a ten year old. “Alright, time to come clean. I know Gotham Towers is all the way across town, so how did you end up here tonight?” 

“I—I don’t know,” the kid says in a trembling voice. “I don’t remember.” A hiccupping cough comes from the depths of the cowl indicating he’s crying now. 

This just keeps getting better and better. Jason raises his faceplate and schools his face into what he hopes is a patient and sympathetic look. “Hey, I’m not trying to get you in trouble or anything. I just want to make sure you get home safe. What’s the last thing you remember?” 

The kid sniffs and a large glove disappears under the hood, emerging a moment later shiny with tears and snot. “An alley. It was dark and smelly and really scary. I hid and when I heard the others laughing, I sneaked out. Saw you guys, and the candy, and the kid in the wheelchair was laughing like he was having fun, so I decided to follow.” 

Well, shit. “What about your costume?” Jason prods gently, not wanting to poke fun at the sanity of someone who thinks following a band of wannabe villains led by a former villain is a smart idea. “Any idea where that came from?” 

The cowl wobbles from side to side. “No. It’s way too big though. I think I have a blister.” 

“Ask his name,” Babs says in Jason’s ear. “Maybe there’s a missing persons report.” 

“What’s your name, kid?” Jason asks. 

There’s a pause and then the little kid pushes back his hood, revealing shiny black hair and a pair of big blue eyes that Jason recognizes in the space of a heartbeat. “Tim Drake,” he says. 

Goddamn motherfucking _son of a fucking bitch._ Well, his night just got a shit ton better. 

In his ear, Babs is swearing up a storm as well. “Bring him to the Clocktower. _Now.”_  

Jason agrees wholeheartedly and stands, holding out his hand. “I’m Jason. Let’s get this figured out and take you home, okay?” 

“Okay!” Tiny Tim in the too big Robin _uniform_ slips his hand into Jason’s. “Do I get to keep my candy?”

“Yeah, kid. You do."


End file.
